


Standing Out

by Thuri



Series: Writing-Thuri Tumblr Prompts [1]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series), Thomas Sanders
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, GTKYverse, M/M, Negative Self Talk, Thomas/Virgil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-04
Updated: 2017-09-04
Packaged: 2018-12-23 22:01:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11998806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thuri/pseuds/Thuri
Summary: “Still can’t believe you actually did it.”“Hmm?” Thomas grinned, turning onto his back, his head still resting in Virgil’s lap.“This,” Virgil answered, running his fingers through Thomas’s hair again in answer. It was something between boysenberry and grape, bright and vivid. “I still can’t believe you actually dyed it.”





	Standing Out

**Author's Note:**

> This is set in the Getting to Know Yourself verse, several months later.

“Still can’t believe you actually did it.”

“Hmm?” Thomas grinned, turning onto his back, his head still resting in Virgil’s lap. 

“This,” Virgil answered, running his fingers through Thomas’s hair again in answer. It was something between boysenberry and grape, bright and vivid. “I still can’t believe you actually dyed it.”

Thomas chuckled, his eyes closing again as Virgil went back to playing with his hair. “Me either,” he admitted. “I was pretty sure I was going to chicken out the whole time. I’m surprised you let me go through with it.”

Virgil shifted, not answering immediately, his fingers faltering. What could he say? That he hadn’t wanted to? That he still wasn’t sure it was a good idea, even if Thomas looked amazing? (Of course, Thomas _always_ looked amazing. Virgil still couldn’t believe he got to touch him.) That the purple hair had his stomach tying itself in knots?

Thomas opened his eyes again, his brows drawing together. “Verge?” he asked softly, the concern in his voice somehow making Virgil feel _worse_.

“I…uh. It woulda been pretty hypocritical of me not to, wouldn’t it?” Virgil said, gesturing to his own purple streaked hair. Nevermind that his just…grew that way, and had since Thomas’d been about sixteen. “It’s just…”

“What?” Thomas asked, reaching up and catching Virgil’s hand in his own, tangling their fingers together.

Virgil sighed, leaning back against the couch as Thomas’s thumb rubbed soft, comforting circles against his wrist. God, Thomas deserved better than this. Better than always having to draw him out, having to calm him down when he worried over nothing. He…

“Hey,” Thomas’s voice gently interrupted the spiral of thoughts. “I love you.”

Virgil smirked, but leaned down to press a kiss against Thomas’s forehead. “Thanks,” he said wryly. Yeah, it sucked in a way that Thomas could feel it when Virgil started in on himself…but he couldn’t deny that he appreciated Thomas pulling him back out of it again. “I love you, too,” he added, feeling his cheeks heat.

“Good,” Thomas said, smiling slowly. “So tell me what’s up. You don’t think purple’s my color?”

Virgil snorted softly. “No…no, it’s not that. It looks…you look great, Thomas. Just…like I said with the others, it makes you stand out.”

“Thought we decided that didn’t have to be a bad thing,” Thomas said gently, pulling Virgil’s hand down from his hair, pressing a kiss against it before cradling it in both his own.

“It’s…it’s not, exactly,” Virgil said, worrying at his bottom lip. “It’s just…” He sighed, wishing he was better at this whole talking thing. Trying to work through the tangled threads of his own thoughts and fears was _exhausting_ and he was pretty sure it still never made sense to anyone. “It’s been years, since…since I felt like an outcast. Since I was the bad guy. But I still…I still remember what it was _like_. Standing out…and…” He swallowed hard.

To give him credit, Thomas didn’t interrupt. Virgil was pretty sure if he had, he’d never have been able to start talking again. Fuck, he hated this…hated how often it happened, how many times what was supposed to be a fun, easy afternoon turned into a fucking therapy session.

But Thomas didn’t seem to mind. And working through the shit was good, too. Anything Virgil could root out and get over was something Thomas didn’t have to deal with anymore. He wouldn’t have done it for himself, but…well. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for Thomas.

Including talking, even when he wanted to bolt. “Standing out, and having everyone hate me for it,” he went on, whispering the words past the lump in his throat. “I know…I know it’s not the same, I know it’s just hair, but I didn’t…I don’t want that to happen to you. Ever.”

“Oh _Verge…_ ” Thomas sat up, turning to pull Virgil into his arms. Virgil went, folding himself in against Thomas’s chest. Okay, so he was pathetic. That wasn’t news…and now most times he admitted how pathetic he really was, he still ended up here. Being held by the man he loved.

Thomas pulled back after a long moment, brushing Virgil’s bangs back out of his eyes. “You are the sweetest and bravest person I know,” Thomas said, the soft, fond grin on his face making Virgil’s stomach do flip flops. “And yes, I’m including Patton and Roman,” he added, when Virgil made a face.

“You’re crazy,” Virgil grumbled softly. Thomas said things like that to him a lot, incredible sweet, kind, wonderful things that Virgil could actual _feel_ that he believed. He sometimes felt like he was tricking Thomas somehow…but he didn’t want him to stop, either.

“I am not,” Thomas replied, leaning forward and kissing the tip of his nose. “You want to protect me from anyone judging me based on my appearance, but at the same time you went ahead and let me turn myself into a grape.”

“Like I could’ve stopped you,” Virgil sighed, resting his head on Thomas’s shoulder.

“You could’ve,” Thomas said, sliding his arm around Virgil’s waist. “You can stop me in my tracks faster than anyone else, you know that.”

“Fine,” Virgil grumbled, tracing invisible patterns on Thomas’s tshirt. “I…just…I want you to be…be safe. I don’t want…” He bit his lip. “I remember what it felt like, and I don’t want you to feel that.”

Thomas sighed, a long, slow sigh, and his grip tightened on Virgil. “I’m so sorry.”

“You…what?” Virgil asked, thrown. What could Thomas possibly be apologizing for?

“I’m sorry that we…that _I_ ever did that to you,” Thomas said. “That we…”

“Hey, no…” Virgil cut him off, pulling back to look up at him. “Thomas, I _know_. I know you are, that all of you are.” He reached up, cupping Thomas’s cheek in one hand. God…it’d been _years_ now, since they’d figured everything out, since the others had accepted him, since he’d found his place. He’d forgiven them ages ago…but Thomas still hated that he’d let it happen at all. “It’s okay. Really. I just…” He half-shrugged, not sure how to put his thoughts into words.

“You remember,” Thomas said, leaning into his touch.

“Yeah,” Virgil agreed, sighing. He _did_ remember. “But…hey. False alarm, right? Turns out you make a cute grape.”

“Yeah, guess so,” Thomas said, smiling softly. He leaned forward to kiss Virgil, slow, tender, and Virgil melted against him, tension flowing out of his shoulders as Thomas’s warm, gentle mouth moved against his own. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Virgil managed, feeling himself pout that the kiss had been broken. Okay, that was pathetic, too, but there weren’t many things important enough to make him stop kissing Thomas, given the choice.

“For always looking out for me.”

“ _Someone_ has to,” Virgil replied, leaning in for another kiss as Thomas murmured an assent.

And there might be a time when Thomas would be rejected by someone he loved over something that shouldn’t matter. When Virgil’s vigilance wouldn’t be enough, when he misjudged and let Thomas get hurt. 

But he hadn’t been now, and Virgil would worry about tomorrow when it came. 


End file.
